A Turtle Tot Christmas Story
by Roniturtle
Summary: When the turtles learn about Christmas, Splinter decides he needs to find a way to bring Christmas Spirit to them. But who will bring the Christmas Spirit to him? Read and find out. Just a one shot. Read, Review and Enjoy. Based on the 2012 universe. Not my turtles just my short story.


A Turtle Tot Christmas Story

"Okay guys," Six year old Donatello poked his head out from behind the TV and smiled brightly at his brothers, "It's all set to go, turn it on."

Raphael hopped off the bench and quickly made his way over to a small TV set, he eagerly pushed the power button than ran back and sat in between his other two brothers who were leaning in as the TV set warmed up and a bright picture began to show.

"Wow, this is so exciting!" Michelangelo said in anticipation as he bounced in his seat.

"Come watch with us Sensei!" Leonardo called out as Splinter walked out of the dojo.

Splinter walked over to the bench and sat down next to his sons, he watched in awe as the TV glowed bright and a show came on. "Well done Donatello," Splinter complimented, "Now I can go back to watching my news."

Splinter watched his sons stare in amazement as a variety of shows and commercials came on, allowing them to get a glimpse of the outside world for the first time. "Are those humans?" Donnie asked, "Which is the female and which is the male?"

"And how can you tell the difference?" Leo asked.

Splinter could feel his cheeks burning red as his sons stared up at him, "Well," He stood and made his way to the TV, "This one is the male, also called a man or boy, he has a broad chest where as a female, or woman or girl has a slimmer waist and her chest," Splinter looked at his sons then back to the TV, "Well her chest tends to be larger." He looked at his sons who nodded in understanding, he took a deep breath and sat back down, contented to just let his sons enjoy the current show.

"Why do the humans look so funny?" Mikey asked, "They don't look real."

"That is actually a cartoon," Splinter told him, "It is like your comic book but the pictures move."

Raph got up to change the channel, "Let's see what else there is," He said when Mikey protested. The next channel showed a holiday special, "This doesn't look like a cartoon," He looked back at Splinter, "And they don't look like humans either."

"You are correct Raphael," Splinter nodded at him, "This is a type of cartoon or animation but it is made with puppets."

"Those don't look like my sock puppet Sensei," Mikey told him.

Splinter chuckled and stroked his beard, "No my son, these puppets are made from wood, wire and a variety of fabrics."

"What's this Christmas they keep talking about?" Leo asked.

Splinter turned toward the TV and noticed the holiday show that was on. It had not occurred to him till now that the TV would open up a lot more than what he was prepared to deal with and he knew his sons would want to learn about everything they saw.

"Well..." he attempted to explain but was quickly interrupted.

"Who is this guy Santa Claus?" Donatello asked.

"And what this about him bringing presents." Mikey leaned toward the TV eagerly.

"And why does he go down people's chimney," Raph looked at Splinter questioningly, "And how would he do that, he looks very fat." Raph tapped his chin, "What's a chimney anyway?"

"And what's a reindeer?" Leo asked.

"What are elves?" "Why are they putting all those things on that tree?" "Is that snow?"

"MY SONS!" Splinter put his hands up to quiet them, after he had their attention he took a deep breath, "You ask many questions but I can only tell you that Christmas is a holiday the humans celebrate once a year to remind them of the love that is shared between them."

"But Sensei…." Donnie attempted but Splinter gestured for him to stop talking.

That is enough, it is getting late and you need to go to bed." Ignoring his son's moans and groans, Splinter turned off the TV and ushered them toward their room, "We can discuss more of this tomorrow," He told them after he had tucked them in, he said goodnight and left to go to his own room.

Along the way, Splinter couldn't help but think of the questions his sons had asked and it dawned on him it was now the twenty-third of December. Christmas was in two days and now that they had access to the outside world he knew his sons would want to share in what was out there. But how, he wondered, how would he be able to give his sons what the humans had up there. He himself grew up loving Christmas and he had always wanted to pass on the traditions he had with his family, but how could he do that with the small amount of things they had. And with him being a large rat, there was no way he would just be able to out shopping for presents. He sighed heavily as he made his way to his bed and laid down, deciding that was a problem to deal with another day, or so he hoped.

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Splinter made breakfast then called in his sons, as they made their way to the table Splinter noted the four turtles seemed strangely quiet and had a look of guilt about their eyes. "Is something wrong?" He queried.

He watched as three of his young turtles looked toward the fourth, "Well Sensei," Leo began, "After you left our room last night, we didn't exactly go right to sleep."

"Oh, and what did you do?"

"We um," Leo looked over at his brothers then back to his father; "We pulled out Donnie's encyclopedia and looked up information on Santa Claus and Christmas."

"I see," Splinter stroked his beard and nodded, "And?"

"There's a lot more about Christmas you didn't tell us," Donnie stated, "Why does Santa go to everyone to give presents but not to us?"

"The book said that he goes to all the good little boys and girls," Mikey said sadly, "We're good boys, you say that all the time."

"Of course you are my son, but..." Splinter sighed heavily uncertain of what to tell his sons.

"And why have we never decorated the lair or sent Santa letters?" Leo asked with his eyes shimmering.

"Is it because we're not human and he doesn't want to deal with us?" Raph angrily pushed his food away from him and crossed his arms.

"Didn't you celebrate Christmas Sensei?" Leo looked at him expectantly, "Why don't you want us to?"

Splinter looked from one turtle to the other in contemplation. "Yes Leonardo," Splinter began, "I did enjoy Christmas when I was younger, and it's not that I didn't want you to celebrate Christmas, it's just that when my life in Japan had changed so drastically, I just didn't believe I could go on to celebrate the holidays like I used to."

The turtles nodded at his explanation, "We understand Sensei," Leo said, "But now that you have us and you should want to start celebrating again and have Santa come to our home."

Mikey suddenly looked at his brothers with excitement, "Hey, didn't that one show say that Santa was a magical elf?" He asked, "Humans get presents because they believe in him and he'll go to anyone who believes in him."

"Yeah, so?" Raph looked at him dubiously.

"Well, if we believe in him, maybe send him letters telling him what we want like the human kids do, then maybe he'll bring us presents too!"

"It's something to try," Donnie agreed. His brothers nodded excitedly and Splinter watched nervously as the four turtles jumped off their chairs and ran out of the kitchen, "We'll decorate the lair, make stockings and start writing letters!" They yelled out, "Maybe even try to find a tree and decorate that too."

"My sons wait," Splinter stepped out of the kitchen and looked at them in uncertainty.

"Yeah Sensei," Raph frowned at him.

The large rat looked from one eager face to the other. How could he disappoint his sons with the truth? He smiled tenderly at them, "Make a stocking for me as well, please."

His sons laughed and high threed each other, "Will do Father!" Leo yelled as the four boys ran toward the pit, turned on the TV to watch holiday specials and start decorating.

Splinter sighed tiredly and went back to the kitchen to clean up, 'It looks like I will be going out tonight.' He told himself.

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Splinter tucked his sons in for the night and gave each a tender kiss on the forehead with a gentle reminder that Santa would come only after they had fallen asleep. As he started out the room, he stopped and looked back at them, "Please my sons," He began, "You have only just learned about Christmas so please, do not be disappointed if you do not get what you want." His sons looked at each other than nodded back at him, "Okay Sensei," Donnie said as the others echoed him. Splinter smiled tenderly at them and walked out of the room and toward his own.

He grabbed his brown coat and rummaged through his chest in hopes of finding some money, but all he could find were some coins that would not even buy one toy. Splinter sighed as he put the coat over his large rat body, "Looks like the junkyard is the place to go." He muttered as he made his way to the kitchen to make a large thermos of tea. He grabbed a bag and walked out of the lair and toward the outside.

The junkyard had many things but much of it was broken or non-working so Splinter tossed them aside and made his way to the trash bins behind stores. He found few toys that were satisfactory and decided they would do for their first Christmas. He managed to find a small plastic tree and some decorations and felt it would work for the lair. In one other bin he managed to find a ratty old Santa coat and thought it might due for him to play Santa. he knew on Christmas Eve there was not much to find so he gathered the few things he did find and headed back to the lair.

As he walked along the sewer tunnel; a noise up ahead had him halting in his tracks and peering around the corner cautiously. He noted a figure walking with heavy footsteps, leaning against the wall and coughing. Splinter would keep himself hidden from any human but this particular one seemed to be in trouble so Splinter decided he would help.

"Are you alright sir?" Splinter asked as he kept himself to the shadows.

The man turned and squinted through the darkness, "Who is there?" He asked in a strained voice, "Please come out of the shadows; don't make an old sick man strain his eyes any more then he has to."

Splinter hesitated but slowly made his way out of the tunnel, watching as the elderly man adjusted his eye glasses and widen his eyes. "Well, I knew there were some large rats in these sewers but you were the last thing I expected to see."

"Why are you down here?" Splinter asked, "Do you not have a home to go to?"

The man coughed and hacked, finally taking a deep breath to steady himself, "Normally I would be at a homeless shelter but they are all very full right now." He told him as he looked the rat up and down. "Now what is your story?"

Splinter chuckled and led the old man to a large brick where he could sit down. "My story is a long one but I live here with my sons," He told him, surprised by how much he was willing to open himself up like this. But he figured the man was old and could do no harm and besides, Splinter told himself, he was a ninja master who could easily defend himself if the need should arise. Also, something about the man seemed to make Splinter want to open up to him. The man was kind and had a gentleness about him that put the rat at ease.

"Sons?" The old man nodded, "How many and what should I call you by the way?

"I have four and you may call me Splinter."

"Nice to meet you Splinter, my name is Nicholas."

"You sound sick Nicholas," Splinter stated as he pulled his thermos out of his bag and pulled the liquid into a cup, "I have some tea, it is not very hot but it may help."

"Thank you Splinter, that's very kind of you." Nicholas took the cup and drank it gratefully.

Splinter watched the elderly man slowly drink the tea then lean his head back against the wall and close his eyes. "That was delicious and now I should find some place warm to sleep." He said as he stood and started walking, "I'm sure you want to get back to your sons before they wake up."

Splinter watched him start to walk away, "Perhaps you would like to stay in my home," He offered, again this was something he would not do but the situation seemed to be a dire one.

Nicholas turned to him and smiled tenderly, "That's very kind of you, helping a stranger like this," But he shook his head, "Although I do appreciate the offer, I think I'll be okay, thank you though."

"No one should be alone on a holiday," Splinter pointed out, "Especially on a holiday such as this one."

Nicholas again stopped walking and smiled at Splinter, "Trust me young man," He said with a twinkle in his eyes, "I'm not alone, I have my Lord with me."

Splinter watched in both awe and bewilderment as the man again started to walk away, he quickly rummaged through his bag and brought out the tattered old red jacket deciding the elderly man needed it more. "Please," he called out, "Take this, it is old and torn but it may provide some added warmth."

Nicholas walked back to him and took the coat, "Thank you Splinter," He said with a teary smile, "You are a very generous person." He put the coat on and Splinter was surprised to see it was almost a perfect fit. "Now," Nicholas looked at him sternly, "You should get home before your sons wake up, on a day like this you should be there when they see all the wonderful presents they are going to get." He nodded toward Splinter's bag, "And remind them that it's not the getting or the giving that Christmas is all about, it's the loving." He then turned and walked down the tunnel, coughing and leaning heavily as he went.

Splinter looked down at his bag and sighed at the meager amount of presents he had found but like the old man said, Christmas was not about the presents but about the love and he was certain his sons would understand that. He flung the bag on his shoulder and made his way back to the lair and to his room. He quickly wrapped the presents in brown paper, put the tree in the middle of the lair and placed the small amount of decorations on the tree. He then placed the presents underneath and went to his room for a few hours of sleep. But he had just laid his head down when loud shouts could be heard in the lair.

"WOW!" He heard his sons cry out, "LOOK AT ALL THE PRESENTS AND CANDY!"

Bewildered, Splinter quickly made his way out of his room and toward the living area, stopping short at the grand sight before him. There in the middle of the room was his tree, but it was much fuller with several more decorations and lights then he had originally placed on it. Under the tree were the few presents he had found but were now brightly wrapped and on each of them was a candy cane. The stockings his sons had made and hung on the turnstiles were full of a variety of candy and small toys and the lair itself seemed to glow brighter then before.

Splinter stared in awe as his sons ran toward the tree and began to rip into the presents, "I got a basketball!" Leo yelled out, "I got a chemistry set!" Donnie cried.

"Alright, I got boxing gloves!" Raph cried happily, "And I got a teddy bear!" Mikey said as he hugged the bear close to him.

"Father, there's one here for you too!" Leo ran over and grabbed Splinter paw, coaxing him toward the tree where he saw a large wrapped package and a card taped to it. "Let's check out our stockings guys!" Leo yelled while Splinter cautiously unwrapped the box.

He opened the top of the box and gasped upon seeing the now bright and almost like new red coat he had given to Nicholas stuffed inside. Feeling overwhelmed and very confused, Splinter took the card and opened it.

_Dear Splinter,_

_There is an old saying that goes something like this: When I was lost you found me, when I was hungry you fed me and when I was scared you comforted me._

_"Your sons are very lucky to have a father like you. You are so loved and more rich then you will ever know and it is obvious, even to this old man; that you have more Christmas Spirit in you then most humans ever will. Cherish this time with them; it all goes by too fast._

_Your friend, Nicholas._

Splinter swallowed the lump in his throat and smiled through teary eyes as his sons dumped their stockings, revealing small action figures and more candy.

"See guys, I told you," Mikey stated proudly, "I told you that if we believe in Santa, then he would come and he did," He turned to Splinter, "Right Sensei, he did didn't he?"

Splinter put on the coat and smiled at his sons, "Yes Michelangelo," He said as he brought his sons into a hug, "He did."

"Merry Christmas Sensei!" The four turtles yelled out as they hugged their father.

"Merry Christmas my sons."

~END~

And to all my readers out there, Happy Holidays! Peace :)


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